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10 Dec 2016 3:48:56am

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A common misconception, and certainly a common assertion by theists. Atheism is NOT the assertion that there is no God (although some atheists make this claim). Atheism, by strict definition, is a DISBELIEF in a deity. That is all. It is saying "I find your claims for a deity to be unsubstantiated, come back to me when you have better evidence". That is all. Nothing more.

But while this may be the strict definition, many atheists speak as though there is certainly not a God, while strictly they should remain agnostic. But this is often for simplicity's sake. In much the same way we should not say "there is no Santa Clause" - sure, there could be a magical man living in an invisible, undetectable house on the North Pole, but such an idea is so implausible that it is silly to remain agnostic about it. So instead we simply deny his existence in everyday conversation and move on to more important things.

Thus when it comes to God - a claim that is also largely implausible, contradicts what we do know about the workings of the universe, stems from an era in human history prone to superstition and ignorance that gave rise to many similar myths and supernatural beings, relies on the "personal spiritual experience" of the very easily fooled human brain, and most of all lacks absolutely no empirical evidence what so ever - it is no surprise that people dismiss the concept of God with the same conviction with which they dismiss Santa Clause.

"Yes, technically I should remain agnostic, but since the idea is so ridiculous and unsubstantiated, until adequate proof is actually presented I'm simply going to dismiss it and more on to more important things."